Website design – Go Sitebuilder

June 11, 2020June 4, 2020

What is AMP and who needs it?

AMP stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages, and is a way of speeding up the load time of a website on your phone. As 53% of mobile site visits are abandoned if a page takes longer than three seconds to load, it’s clear that loading speed is a crucial factor for people visiting your website.

But is AMP the right way to go for your website, and if it is, how can you implement it? We’re going to take a deeper look at the world of accelerated mobile pages.

What is an AMP?

Ann accelerated mobile page is a page written in HTML (the standard language for web pages) that has been stripped down to make it as lightweight as possible. This means that it loads faster and is ideal for mobile devices, as using 3G or 4G can mean content-heavy websites take their time to load.

AMPs were introduced in 2015 and were primarily used for publishers and news websites, so their breaking content could be read on the go without long page loading times. It works by applying limitations on the design aspects of your site to ensure that it is as light as possible, but it also speeds up loading time even more by pre-loading your page before you’ve even clicked on it. This means when a user does click on your page, it should load instantly.

AMP websites take up a very small part of the internet (0.064% of the web) but they are growing exponentially; 70% in the last year according to statistics provided by W3Techs.

Does AMP help my website rank for SEO?

Although implementing accelerated mobile pages on your site won’t directly affect your SEO ranking, there are benefits to having a fast-loading site for mobiles. From 2016, Google has been implementing their mobile first index, meaning the search engine will index your mobile site url before your main site.

For responsive websites that have the same url for both mobile and desktop, this isn’t an issue, but there are many sites that have a separate, more lightweight page for mobiles so that it loads faster. This mobile first index has forced websites to consolidate their two urls into one, while attempting to maintain a fast site-loading speed for mobile users.

By having AMP on your website, it will load incredibly quickly regardless of whether it is on mobile or desktop, and a fast loading time on mobile is a ranking factor for Google and could help improve your SEO.

How can I implement AMP on my website?

If you are a tech and coding expert, you would be able to custom design a website to be super-lightweight and fast loading, or you can apply a standardised AMP solution to get similar results. The latter still requires basic coding knowledge, but the AMP project page gives you extensive step-by-step instructions on how to create AMP websites, stories, ads or email.

Should I get AMP for my website?

According to Google, the average mobile web page takes 15.3 seconds to load, whereas an AMP can take under a second. From this data, getting AMP on your site seems like a no-brainer, but the information can be misleading.

Many sites are optimised for mobile without necessarily having AMP, and can load in around two seconds. If you’re not sure how long your site takes to load on mobile, you can use a free speed test defining where the user would be searching it and what kind of mobile device they have.

If your site seems to take a long time to load, it could be to do with the size and quality of the images you’re using. Fortunately there are a few simple steps you can take to manage the images on your website – have a look at our blog to find out how to check your images and improve your page loading time.

In most cases, it is not necessary for you to implement AMP on your website, unless your industry is very fast-moving. News sites are a prime example of websites that definitely should have AMP, as they load almost instantly and they often get featured in SERP panels.

For a standard website, it is probably more beneficial to carry out some basic mobile optimisation instead of moving your whole website over to AMP.

With Go Sitebuilder, you don’t have to worry about your website not working on a mobile device as all our websites are 100% responsive and can be used across mobiles, tablets and desktop computers.

We provide ready made templates that are specialised for your industry, so you just need to upload your images and content and you can have a ready to go website in moments. We know that you’re busy, so we’ve made sure that even our website builder is totally responsive – that means you can edit and make changes to your website wherever you are. Try our 14-day free trial today to see where your new website can take you and your business.

June 9, 2020June 17, 2020

How do I launch a new website on social media?

Black female food blogger taking a photo in a cafe wearing a light blue shirt and red hair bandana

Launching a new website on social media can be difficult if you don’t have a good strategy. In order for your new website to gain traction with social media users you need to create excitement and anticipation about its launch.

The most important aspect when launching a new website is to ensure your website is beautifully created and easy to use. The best way to do this is to use a professional website builder. Here at Go SiteBuilder we aim to make the web design process as simple as possible, allowing you to create the best website for your business.

Stay socially relevant

In order to successfully launch your website you must make sure your social media profiles are up to date. Make sure you have a presence across multiple platforms and are keeping followers updated with what is happening in your business. Posting regularly and interacting with followers will make social media a more useful tool for your business.

Give your website a launch date

By giving your website a launch date you create a sense of anticipation on the arrival of your website. Make sure you announce your website launch date about a month or so before you publish your website, this allows you to create a social media marketing campaign around your website.

There are a couple of ways you can make the lead up to your website launch more engaging for your current followers and for new followers:

Create a countdown – post something new everyday and remind your followers of how long there is until your website launches
Use giveaways – this can be coupled with the countdown with a different gift every day for the last week for example. Alternatively, give the first 5 people who visit your website a service you offer (for example a photoshoot if you are a photography website)
Give sneak peeks on what your website is going to look like and what you’re going to sell. For example if you are a clothing brand you may post photographs of your new clothes.

Boost your posts

There are a few social media marketing tips to increase the number of people who see your posts on social media. Boosting the numbers of people who see your posts should increase the number of people who are exposed to your business. These people may look at your profile and follow you as a result of one boosted post. Some of these options are free and some have a cost associated with them:

Use boost features:

Many social media platforms have services which will boost your posts so that more people see them. Often these services do cost a small amount of money, but if you have one post which you believe will help your website launch it may be worth it. Facebook also offers targeted ads that promote your posts to people within your target audience demographic.

Work with influencers or general interest profiles:

If your website is in a specific field such as beauty, working with beauty influencers can help boost the exposure of your company. Often influencers will charge for these services or ask for products in return. Check out this blog for more tips on how to work with influencers.

Alternatively you could work with platforms that post photos from other profiles in their domain. For example, for a travel website you may approach an Instagram profile which collates and publishes other users’ travel photos (WildTravelers on Instagram is a good option) ask them to share a photo of yours.

Use hashtags:

Using hashtags can help boost the number of people who view your posts. Many users of social media may search for hashtags if they want inspiration on a certain topic. If your post is under a hashtag they search then you have a higher chance of being noticed.

Make your launch an event

Once you have decided on a date to launch your website you need to decide what to post on the day. There are a number of ways you can create buzz around the launch of your website. For example:

Hold a launch party – this is where you can showcase your stock, and you can post photographs from the party on social media. If your store is only online, post Instagram or Facebook Live videos showing off your clothes and counting down to your website launch.
Have giveaways as part of your launch
Create enticements for people to sign up to your mailing list if they do it on launch day (for example 10% off your products).

If you’re ready to build an amazing website for your business, then look no further than Go Sitebuilder. With a wide range of features, our simple website builder design means you can have a professional looking website up and running in minutes. Try our 14-day free trial today!

June 8, 2020June 4, 2020

Is there such a thing as a free website?

Your business needs a website. You know that, but with so many options out there, how are you supposed to choose? There are free website builders, paid website builders, some with ecommerce packages and some without – with so many options, you need a way to whittle down your choices.

First, make a list of the things you want your website builder to have. Do you want responsive web design, ecommerce capabilities or a personalised domain? Are you a budding designer who wants the freedom to create their own website or are you a rookie who wants ready made templates to make a professional-looking site in moments? You can get all of this and more with Go Sitebuilder, but finding the right website builder is a personal decision.

If you’re not sure what your website needs, we’ve compiled a list of what we think are important elements of the best website builders, and whether you can get them free or not.

Personalised domain name

The name of your business is the first thing people are going to see when they look for you, so it’s paramount that your website reflects that. It’s well worth finding a website builder that gives you a personalised domain name as it looks much more professional; other free website builders will give you a domain that includes their own name, like www.websitebuilder.co.uk/yourbusinessname. This automatically shows that you aren’t 100% invested in your business. You are likely to have to pay for a personalised domain name, but we think it’s worth the money.

Responsive web design

Responsive web design means that your website scales up or down in size to fit whichever screen it is viewed on, whether that be a laptop, mobile or tablet. This is increasingly important as mobile web usage overtook over desktop for the first time back in 2016, and the vast majority of people browse for content on their phone.

Some free website builders offer some elements of responsive web design, and some like Wix are slowly adding more features that will make most of the elements responsive. If you’re not that tech-savvy, however, and don’t want to have to delve into the back end of your site to make sure it is fully responsive, go for a website builder like Go Sitebuilder that is fully responsive. Even our website builder platform is responsive, so you can update your website on your phone wherever you are!

Integrated ecommerce platform

If you’re looking to sell your products on your site, you’ll need a website builder with that capability. It is possible to get a free ecommerce platform, from Square for example, but they are fairly basic and don’t allow you to have a custom domain, shipping calculators, site statistics or integrated shipping labels, which make you seem more unprofessional. They do give unlimited product listings but there is a 500mb maximum website storage, which could become an issue if you are using high-quality photos and have many different products.

We think it’s best to get an integrated ecommerce website that makes your life as easy as possible, including automatic low stock alerts, shipping calculators and unlimited space.

Integrated blog platform

It’s no secret that blogging is one of the best new tricks to enhance the SEO on your website. If you want to give your website the best chance, try writing regular blog posts on subjects related to your business that you are knowledgeable about; this will help you look like a leader in your field and inspire trust in your potential customers.

If you choose a few relevant keywords and use this in all your blogs, this will help Google rank you more effectively, so people searching for your products or services will see your website as soon as possible.

Most free website builders will provide a basic blogging platform for you to use. Find one that has no limits on the number of blogs you can post, has SEO optimisation tools, and can easily be shared on social media.

High quality web design

The most important bit! A high quality web design is paramount for your website builder, which can be difficult if you have no design experience. Many website builders will boast of hundreds of functions as a way of selling their product, but we’ve found that in the vast majority of cases, people just don’t use these functionalities. That’s why we’ve perfected our web design platform to have everything you need – and nothing you don’t.

If you have no web design experience, we provide you with colour palettes and templates, but if you want more freedom you can play around as much as you want! Some free website builders have a limited number of templates, but at Go Sitebuilder we have hundreds, with many specialised for certain industries.

Free website builders are available, but you will have to compromise on certain elements to do so. At Go Sitebuilder, we think it’s worth investing to make sure your website is the best it can be, so we created an affordable website builder – just £9 a month – that has all the capabilities talked about in this blog, and so much more. Try our 14-day free trial today to see what we can offer you.

June 7, 2020June 4, 2020

How do I create backlinks for my lawyer website?

Serious professional female advisor consulting client on creating backlinks for her lawyer website

For many, SEO is a complicated notion, and backlinks are the hardest part of it. However, it’s a very simple concept that can give your lawyer website an invaluable boost and could help your site rank better on search engines. This means more people will see your site; and the more people who see it, the more clients you will get!

Before you work on getting people onto your site, you need to make sure that you have a stylish and professional website for them to visit – studies have shown that around three quarters of web visitors judge a site’s credibility within 3.42 seconds. If you’re worried your design skills aren’t up to scratch, try Go Sitebuilder; our website builder has beautiful ready-made templates designed for your industry, so you can have a great web design up and running in moments.

What are backlinks?

Backlinks are part of an off-site SEO link-building strategy. The basic idea behind it is building a reputation for your lawyer website; the more people who link back to your site from theirs, the more valuable Google thinks your website is.

It’s not just good for SEO; as an example, if a blogger writes an article on “The best online law firms” and cites your website as one of the best, this is good for your reputation and will bring more people onto your site, as well as boosting your Google ranking.

One of the most important things to remember is that your backlinks have to be from related, high-authority sites. In previous years, people would use “link farms” where they would pay a provider to get other sites to link back to their site, but they were generally unrelated, low-authority sites. This used to work, but Google’s algorithm has since updated and now realises when link farming is taking place and penalises you for it.

Creating backlinks is an invaluable part of your SEO strategy. It might take a bit of work, but it is definitely worth it.

First backlink steps: online legal directories and social media

These aren’t the highest authority sites, but they are directly related to your field, and will give you some quick and easy backlinks.

Online legal directories such as FindLaw UK, Find a Solicitor and Infolaw are just a few directories you can get backlinks from; just contact them with your details and as long as you meet their requirements they will mention you and your lawyer website on their platform.

Social media marketing is becoming an invaluable tool for businesses across all industries, so make sure you have profiles on all relevant social media, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Linkedin. Put your website domain in the profile for each social media, and you’ve already created your own simple backlinks!

Create valuable, shareable content

Don’t rush your content creation! If you spend the time to write a long-form, evergreen article that is genuinely useful to your audience, then you are much more likely to get shares and people linking back to it. A guide on how to hire a lawyer, or what paperwork you’ll need for certain situations will be useful for many readers and will retain its value for a long time.

This may mean writing 3000-word blogs, or curating stylish infographics (you can use a free tool like Canva), and then share it on your social media and send it to your contacts in case they want to share it as well.

Guest blogging

This is where you write content for free for another website, but they publish your name and website domain along with your blog, to create another backlink and bring more people to your site. This is time consuming, but it can be very valuable if you choose the right websites to contact.

You can also do a similar thing by presenting yourself as a resource. Contact podcasters, your old university or the HARO network (a resource that connects journalists with useful people to interview), and offer your services as a legal professional. Each time you are mentioned on a podcast or a relevant online site, you’re creating another organic, high-authority backlink to your lawyer website.

Be a resource on forums

There are often questions posted on forums like Quora that are asking for legal advice. By searching for questions relevant to your field, you can present yourself as an expert and answer them, giving a link to your website in the answer in case they want more information. This is providing useful, valuable information for a potential client and giving you a backlink!

Look for blog communities around lawyer and attorney issues and get involved; the more active you are on the internet, the more opportunities you will have to link back to your site and build authority for your lawyer website.

The most important part of building backlinks is having a beautiful website to link to! At Go Sitebuilder, we know you’re busy with your law firm, so we’ve made it as easy and quick as possible for you to get a functional website online. Try our 14-day free trial today to see what we can offer you!

June 3, 2020June 3, 2020

How do you design a website layout?

You might think you need to be a professional graphic designer to build a site with an eye catching and unique web design. However, nowadays this is simply not the case; there are numerous website builders out there which offer ready to go sites and pre-made web designs so that you can build a site which looks great, but doesn’t take up endless amounts of time.

That being said, whilst website builders do all the tricky stuff for you, you still need to have some sort of plan to ensure your web layout looks smooth and site users can navigate themselves around easily. We’ve put together a list to make the web design process all the simpler, so that you can build a website that looks like it was designed by an expert!

Stick to simple

Not only does a minimalist web design look smooth and sophisticated, but there is also a scientific theory behind it in the form of Hick’s law. According to this law of attraction, the more decisions people are forced to make on your site, the longer they take to make a decision.

So, if you have multiple images of your products on the landing page of your site, you might confuse users as they won’t immediately know which product they prefer. Whilst this does keep people on your site for longer, it can also frustrate them and cause them to delay their decision over whether or not they want to explore your products or services further, leading to a potential decline in site conversions.

Instead, when building your website, use the best picture you have to either characterise your site, or to show off your best selling product; this will engage site traffic and capture their interest.

Don’t ignore negative space

Yes, it’s important to keep your web design simple. However, this doesn’t mean that you should ignore any negative space (space which isn’t filled with a picture or text). Blank spaces between different sections on your web pages are important, as they help to direct the attention of site visitors to the key messages you want to get across, and they also prevent the overcrowding of your web design.

Instead of simply using negative space as a way to break up different components of your web design, use it as a way to boost conversions. Focus negative space around a call to action to prompt users to consider purchasing your products or enquiring into your services. Google’s homepage is a great example of this: there’s little clutter, and you know exactly what to do.

Focus on a colour scheme

The methodology of choosing a colour scheme isn’t as black and white as it might seem: colours can evoke emotions and trigger memories. This is key for your brand: to keep your image as a brand memorable, a strong colour scheme is important, as it means customers are more likely to associate a colour with your business.

When building your website, picking an appealing colour scheme is also paramount to keep potential customers onto your site. According to Mallee Blue Media, 85% of shoppers claim that colour plays a big role in their buying decisions: choosing colours which clash, or aren’t visually appealing, can cause site visitors to leave your website as they aren’t attracted to your web design.

Although website builders offer customisable colour palettes for you to choose from when building your site, don’t just pick the prettiest colour, close your eyes and hope for the best. Conduct market research into your target market: see what colours they’re most likely to associate with your brand. Below are some businesses which have effectively utilised colour to correlate with their brand.

Responsive works best

Building a website with a responsive web design is crucial in keeping site traffic on your site: as most people now visit a website on their mobiles, you’ll need to make sure your website is easy to navigate around on any device. Not only does a responsive website increase chances of conversions, but it’s also important for SEO.

Considering that site traffic from mobile devices is five times more likely to bounce-off your site if it isn’t responsive, this could negatively impact your ranking on Google’s search engines. If people are clicking off your site at a rapid speed, this could tell Google’s algorithms that your site is of low-value, meaning Google ranks you lower on its search engine results page.

Luckily, some website builders will offer a responsive website so that traffic to your website can access your page from any device. With Go Sitebuilder, this is included in our package, along with all the other necessary features for you to build your own website at a bargain price, but with premium results. We believe quality shouldn’t be overcomplicated, which is why our simple ready to go sites are perfect for those who want to build a website in a few clicks.

Our 14-day free trial lets you explore all we have to offer and more, completely obligation-free – try it today!

June 1, 2020May 29, 2020

What are the most important elements of an amateur sports club website?

People doing yoga stretching to be added to a sports club website using Go Sitebuilder

Designing a website for an amateur sports club can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. With so many different website builders offering a range of features, figuring out what you need for your sports club can be difficult. At Go Sitebuilder we aim to make website building as simple as possible, by having an easy-to-use interface and giving helpful hints and tips in our blog.

Whether you are building a website for a football club or a boxing school, showcasing your best assets is vital in attracting new talent and sponsorship. In the UK there are over 6,000 amateur sports clubs, which means whatever sport you are working in, there is plenty of competition around you. In this blog we are going to talk you through the most important elements of a sports club website. If you use clever web design and a great website builder you can create the best website for your sports club.

Clear Information

This may seem obvious but ensuring your website shows all key information is vital to attracting visitors. All information regarding your club should be easy to find on your website, for more help with navigation tips, check out our blog on why navigation is so important. Your website should also be up to date with all recent news and events.

Make sure you include contact information, location (whether this is your offices or where you train) and office hours. Additionally, as there are specific types of sports clubs and levels for different sports, including detailed information is also important. Consider the following questions when writing about your sports club:

What level do you play/train at?
Is there a specific age group you are targeting?
Do you have any special awards or trainers that you can mention?
Mention the type of club and ethos you have. For example, are you more focused on development or competitions?

Photographs and Videos

Your main selling point is how good your team/players are at their sport, so make sure you show them off! Have a range of photographs showing members at their best. If you have photographs from events such as regional matches or tournaments include them, especially if a member or team was placed top in the competition.

Depending on the type of club and your ethos, consider including photographs from more social gatherings. Many new members will look for the spirit of the community they are looking to join, so whether your socials are a curry night or an awards ceremony at the end of the year, ensure to include photographs of them.

Team or Coaches page

Whether you have a team or coaches page is dependent on whether the focus of your sports club is on the performance of your team or the development led by your coaches. Having this page is a great way to show visitors the people involved in your club. This personal touch to your website is great in making your community feel more involved in your activities. Ensure you include photographs of your team or coaches, so that visitors can connect more with your website.

Recent News and Matches

If you want fans to stay updated on your team, having a news page is vital. Including a range of news stories about your club will ensure that visitors stay engaged with your website. Consider the following topics when writing news bulletins:

Recent matches or competitions and their outcomes
League table updates
New player/team member/coach updates
Tips and advice on how to get involved
News about training sessions or community activities
Fundraising events or targets
Updates on alumni if they go on to be more successful in the sport

With many website builders, visitors can leave a comment on your news stories. This is a great way of keeping fans feeling engaged with your news and getting a feel for their opinion on developments in your sports club. Keeping visitor engagement up is seen to have positive effects for your website and your business. One study showed that if visitors are encouraged to engage with a website, it fosters the idea of a partial owning of the product and therefore an increased attachment to the product.

Eye Catching Web Design

As with any website, having effective website design is key in creating a standout website. Make sure you think about aspects such as colour, font and layout when designing your site. The design you choose should reflect the type of club you are and be easy for visitors to use. For more inspiration take a look at our blog on the best designed football websites.

If you need a great website builder for your sports club, then look no further than Go Sitebuilder. With a wide range features, our simple website builder design means you can have a professional looking website up and running in minutes. Try our 14-day free trial today!

May 31, 2020May 29, 2020

How Can Law Firms Make Their Website Elements More Engaging?

People want professionalism, accuracy, and consistency from the law firm that they’re going to trust to handle their legal affairs. This means that a polished, informative layout is all the more important for law firms’ websites than the average personal platform. An engaging site that reflects the quality of your service is key. You already know that you’re going to be giving your clients excellent legal advice, but they don’t!

We know that lawyers are usually busy with cases – they don’t have the time to spend hours building their own website from scratch. But by using a website builder such as Go Sitebuilder, with simple to use features and ready-to-go templates, you can quickly create a professional website that suits your branding.

If your website is the first part of your firm that clients see, you’re going to want it to convey your credibility, solid expertise, and importantly, stand out from competitors. Creating an engaging website is crucial to this, and making some small changes to make your website more effective should not be overlooked.

Choose a website builder that can handle web design

Aside from ensuring that your content is accurate and free from typos, one of the most important (and easy!) ways to improve a lawyer’s website is to turn your thoughts to your web design and make your website elements more eye-catching. This is simple to do with the help of a website builder that can handle the trickier aspects of web design like Go Sitebuilder, which lets you use different elements to highlight important aspects of your page. You’ll be able to create a striking website with infographics, images, and videos to suit your needs, with no prior design or coding experience required.

Use infographics to complement your legal advice

Including legal advice on your website is a good idea that can be useful for potential clients, and shows that you want to help inform the public. For example, using facts and figures in an infographic to highlight a legal fact, such as the number of people that could be accessing a given legal service, will jump out to people visiting your page and may resonate with potential clients, highlighting the relevance of your firm to their legal needs.

Graphics can also be a great way to showcase personal testimonials to the quality of your service and references from large companies that you have helped in the past. This will add to the reputability that you convey to prospective clients, and give them confidence in the services that you can provide. In fact, law firm marketing company The Modern Firm’s research shows that the testimonials page is the most clicked on part of any law website. Big names and complimentary remarks can stand out much more effectively in a nice graphic, so make sure to include them on your website.

Use images for trust and credibility

Include photos of the practicing paralegals, lawyers, and partners at your firm to add an approachable touch to your website. People value transparency from their law firm and want to know what they’re getting. By including a ‘who we are’ or ‘meet the lawyers’ page, you’re letting your clients put a friendly face to a name.

You’re inevitably going to be meeting your clients face-to-face. By showing the lawyers working at your firm, their qualifications and areas of expertise, not only will clients get an idea of who may be the best person to handle their case, they’ll know who to expect when they walk into the office for their consultation. People are attracted to companies with a human touch. Show your clients who you are, stand out from competitors, and let them envision working with you!

Add videos to inform and explain

By adding a video to your website, you can take this personal touch even further. Hearing you explain your services or the steps within a legal process can instil confidence in potential clients like nothing else! A well-edited, professional video showing your team articulating themselves clearly on relevant topics, thus evidencing a thorough grasp of their areas of legal expertise will make a client’s decision to work with you easier. It may even be able to answer some of their questions before they make the call or step into your office. This kind of video content can result in people staying on your website for 60% longer than if you had no video content at all, so it’s a good idea to invest some time in this area.

A variety of informative videos, and infographics can give potential clients a greater understanding of the legal process, provide clarity on their concerns and influence how they approach you, ultimately making your job easier. Whether you’re an established firm, just starting out, or if you are thinking about making the move to becoming a freelance lawyer, having a website is proven to be a powerful business tool.

Have a look at our blog on why lawyers need a website to read more about the benefits – or why not register for a 14-day free trial with Go Sitebuilder, and see how our features can make your professional legal website the most appealing on the web!

May 30, 2020May 29, 2020

What are the best restaurant websites for design inspiration?

Customers inside a restaurant discussing the best restaurant websites designs

Having a strong website design is key for all online businesses – considering that 38% of people will be put off a website if the content is unattractive, it is vital that your site design is aesthetic so you capture the visitor’s interest. This is even more crucial for restaurants: if your website isn’t visually appealing, then the user is more likely to form a negative impression of your restaurant, which means they probably won’t want to visit your establishment.

Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you have to have the skills of a top website designer to build a website that reels visitors in. We’ve broken down some of the best ways to build your own website for your restaurant, so that you can get some design inspiration.

Strong colour pattern

Source: Between The Bread

This restaurant has used bright, bold colours of its foods, and displayed them on a contrasting background. By using colours that pack a punch, the visitor is immediately drawn to whatever you want them to see first – in this case it’s the food! Using a variation of colours means your landing page stands out, meaning your website is more likely to stick in the minds’ of those who visit your site. However, it is important not to overload your website with colour, as this can lead to confusion: this restaurant has focused on reds, yellows and greens, telling the visitor that they can expect vibrant, colourful foods.

Focus on font

Source: Whitmans New York

Whilst a picture might speak a thousand words, the type of font you use also sends out a certain message. Here the casual, relaxed font suggests that this restaurant has more of a laid back atmosphere – the flavours are bold, but the establishment has a more chilled vibe.

Informative

Source: Pastaria

Providing key information on your business, which can be clearly seen, is essential when you build your own website. According to KoMarketing, 44% of website visitors will leave a site if there aren’t any contact details. Providing the site users with contact information that they can clearly see, and giving them an option to contact you to make queries or reservations is essential. Considering that most people will make a booking with your restaurant either by phone or online, it is key that you make this process for them as easy as possible.

High quality images

Source: Catch

Using a high quality image, which isn’t blurred or poorly lit, shows just how professional your restaurant is. Considering that high quality images are a crucial factor in helping to sell your product – or restaurant – the best way you can create a good impression on someone is by using images which have been professionally taken. It’s important not to overcrowd your site with images too – just like this restaurant has done, keep things simple to achieve a sleek, attractive finish to your website design.

Appetising

Source: Lemonade

Of course, as a restaurant, if there’s one thing you want to get right, it’s how you present the food that you sell. People will want to come to your restaurant if you prove to them that you can serve them dishes which look great, and taste even better. As they obviously can’t sample the food by looking at your online business, they have to sample it with their eyes instead – capturing your tastiest dishes in a way that shows them off in all their glory will push people to make a reservation with you.

Less is more

Source: Foster Juice Co.

As you can probably see so far, these restaurants have stuck to a simplistic style of website design. Whilst some have taken the less is more approach more seriously than others, it is clear that these site designs have avoided overcrowding the landing page with multiple different pictures or crazy colour schemes. Instead, they’ve allowed the colours to bounce off each other to create a visually appealing effect. By holding back on wild, clashing colours and over the top images, you can build a website which delivers a pleasant site user experience.

Atmosphere of the restaurant

Source: El Burro

What kind of dining experience can your customers expect? When searching for a restaurant, people normally type in words that describe the type of restaurant they want to visit. Your website design must reflect the atmosphere of your restaurant, so that the user has some idea as to what kind of experience you are offering – here the bold, bright colours and rustic looking foods of this restaurant’s website design suggests they are a more casual establishment.

Welcoming

Most importantly, your website should be welcoming! You want to create a positive image of your restaurant which sticks in the minds of site users. With Go Sitebuilder’s ready to go site, creating a captivating website design couldn’t be more simple. Or, if you find yourself completely pushed for time when you’re first building your website, why not browse our free stock photo gallery, so that you can use professional photos, completely free of charge?

Try Go Sitebuilder today; our free 14-day trial gives you the ultimate freedom to design the perfect website for your restaurant!

May 28, 2020May 28, 2020

Why does an electrician need a website?

Electrician Installing Socket In New House and needing a website with Go Sitebuilder

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been an electrician for years or if you’re just getting into the trade, an electrical website will be a great asset to your business. It can bring in more customers, make you stand out against your competitors and boost your reputation – both online and in person. According to a Bright Local marketing study, more than 90% of consumers use a website to learn more about your services before deciding which business to use, so getting a website up and running is paramount.

If you’ve been put off from getting a website because it seems complicated, or you have no design or coding experience, don’t worry! Choose a website builder like Go Sitebuilder which has ready to go web designs specially designed for your industry, and all you have to do is upload your images and content and you’re ready to get online!

Let’s take a look at why you need a website and how you can capitalise on yours to grow your electrical business.

You reputation is based on your web design

A Blue Corona study revealed that 75% of people judge the credibility of a contractor based on their electrical website design. This is a huge proportion of people, and so your web design has to be professional and stylish.

By using one of Go Sitebuilder’s web design templates, most of the work is already done for you. You don’t have to worry about whether your colours are clashing, your fonts are distracting or your text is overwhelming – we’ve done it all for you!

A few tips to get the most out of your electrical website’s design; make sure you use high quality and relevant images, that your navigation is clear and easy to find, and that you have a clear call to action on the homepage. For more inspiration have a look at our blog posts on web design, but don’t overthink it – simple is better.

Showcase your expertise

People are going to visit your website to decide whether you are the person they want to fix their electrical issues, so you have to show them why you are better than your competitors. One way of doing this is highlighting the qualifications you have, and any areas you specialise in.

This makes it much easier for a potential customer to choose you; if they have an issue with electrical wiring in Victorian homes, for example, and you have a specialised qualification in that area, then they are much more likely to decide that you are the best option.

By showing that you not only have qualifications, but that you also update your skills with training courses or workshops on a regular basis, you can also stay ahead of the competition.

Get your electrical website in front of the right people

Being an electrician requires you to travel and visit people’s houses, so where you are based geographically is extremely important. There is no point in your beautiful designed website coming up on people’s Google searches if they live 500 miles away. So what can you do to stop this happening?

Registering your business on Google My Business is a great way to make sure your website gets in front of the right people. This means that when people google “electrician near me” your website will come up in the business section, along with your contact details, reviews and images. This streamlines the process of reaching out to customers and is a great way to raise awareness of your business in your local area – sixty-four percent of consumers have used Google My Business to find contact details for local businesses.

If you have any questions about doing this, have a look at our blog on how to get your business on Google.

Show the value your work

One of the most important parts of any electrical website is the testimonials page. This is where previous customers can rate your services and leave comments about the work you did for them. This might seem like a lot of work but it is a fantastic way to foster trust with potential customers; the majority of people will rely on testimonials when deciding on which electrician to go with.

It’s also a good idea to link out to third party listings like Yelp and Angie’s List so that your website address is visible on other websites, not just your own.

Rather than just relying on other people’s opinions on your work, prove that you take pride in your electrical expertise as well by offering personal or professional guarantees. This is another way to give yourself an edge over the competition in your area and is likely to inspire trust in your customers.

There are so many good reasons for you to have an electrical website, why not make one today? With Go Sitebuilder you can have a stylish and professional website up and running in just a few minutes, with a personalised domain name and five contact email addresses. Try our 14-day free trial today to see what we can do for your electrical business!

May 26, 2020May 27, 2020

What are the best event website designs?

Do you have an events website that is in need of an update? Or have a flourishing events business but not sure how to build a website? Then look no further! Here we are going to give you the best web design inspiration for your events website.

Often when businesses start creating a website they start with a website builder. Website builders are a great way of easily building a website for a low monthly price. Go Sitebuilder has a wide range of templates and design ideas to help you decide what is right for your event management website.

With technology becoming increasingly important in marketing events, having an up to date website is vital. In 2019 52.6% of event professionals increased their spending on technology, proving how important investing in technology is.

Large professional event website: Telegraph Events

Source: Telegraph Events

This beautiful website is for events hosted by the Telegraph. The layout is simple and easy to navigate using a header as the main navigation tool. The use of dark colours and white writing creates a striking web design. The use of the large picture below the header gives a sense of the type of events they hold as soon as you enter the website.

Foodie festival: The Big Grill Festival

Source: The Big Grill Festival

This bright web design is extremely effective at communicating the spirit of the event and clearly showing what the event is about. The cartoons at the top of the homepage show music, chefs, drinks and bright colours. The simple header allows visitors to easily navigate around the website and simple icons for each social media platform is also very effective.

Music Festival: Coachella

Source: Coachella

As one of the biggest festivals in the world Coachella has a professional well designed website. The image above is what the homepage looks like once the headings are clicked. As you can see the menu then drops down and there are simple headings to follow.

However, what is really effective is the small drawings that accompany each menu dropdown, this one being sunglasses. The subtle colours and minimalist design create an aesthetic that matches what you envision when you think of coachella.

Conference event: Circles Conference

Source: Circles Conference

This homepage for Circle Conference is highly effective and creates a significant impact on the visitor. Immediately you are struck by the bold blue colours and large writing. All the key information is displayed on the homepage, giving a date for the event and the type of conference. Although the menu is somewhat hidden, the two lines in the left hand corner indicate there is more to find out.

Best use of colours: Image Festival

Source: Image Festival

This bright bold design is slightly different from those mentioned before. This website for an art festival in Rotterdam has a creative slightly vintage feel, with pastel shades and a typewriter style of font. Although the website is slightly crowded with information the menu is clear and the side bar allows more information to be shown.

Key points to think about for your event website:

So now that you have seen some great examples of web design for events websites you may be thinking about designing your own or updating a current website. Before you do, consider the following points:

What style of website do you want? – a minimalist approach or more content on the homepage.
Make sure visitors to your website know immediately what kind of event you are holding.
Consider the fonts and colour scheme – these must match with the aesthetic of your event and also show visitors what kind of event you are having. Take a look at our blog on how to make your website more visually appealing.
Consider what kind of photographs/drawings you want to showcase your event.
Ensure you have all the key information on your website and that visitors can find the information easily.
Find a website builder that is easy to use and has a wide range of customising options.

For more information, check out our blog on how to create a successful events website.

If you are ready to start building your events website, then look no further than Go Sitebuilder. With a wide range of features including a range of design templates, our simple website builder design means you can have a professional looking website up and running in minutes. Try our 14-day free trial today!